The doctors, Jan M. Keppel Hesselink and David Kopsky, from the Institute for Neuropathic Pain in Amsterdam, summarized their findings on the benefits of a 10% topical cream with phenytoin as the active ingredient as follows.

“We, therefore, developed a new topical cream based on 5% and 10% phenytoin and described three successfully treated patients suffering from neuropathic pain.”

“All patients were refractory[resistant] to a number of other analgesics.”

“In all patients, phenytoin cream was effective in reducing pain completely, without any side effects, and the tolerability was excellent.”

“The onset of action of the phenytoin creams was within 30 minutes.”

Looking further into the details of the study, the subjects applied the cream on their body several times a day in a maintenance program.

Case #1: diabetic neuropathic pain

“The pain reduction appeared within 5 minutes after application and was maintained for at least 12 hours. The patient applied the phenytoin 10% cream two times daily during a period of 3 months.”

Case #2: chemotherapy-induced polyneuropathy

“The patient applied the cream three times daily during a period of 2 months.”

Case #3: chemotherapy-induced polyneuropathy

“The patient applied the cream two times daily during 1 month.”

The pain from the neuropathic conditions returned once the daily applications ended. However the cream provided temporary relief for the patients cited above.

“Neuropathic pain is an extremely difficult type of pain to manage. The symptoms experienced by the patient with neuropathic pain differ from those experienced by patients with acute pain. Neuropathic pain usually fails to respond to standard analgesic interventions. Opioids may provide a degree of relief, but only at doses impractical for what may become lifelong therapy. People with neuropathic pain can experience anything from mild discomfort to excruciating torture.”